§ Statement of Purpose

The View from 1776 presents a framework to understand present-day issues from the viewpoint of the colonists who fought for American independence in 1776 and wrote the Constitution in 1787. Knowing and preserving those understandings, what might be called the unwritten constitution of our nation, is vital to preserving constitutional government. Without them, the bare words of the Constitution are just a Rorschach ink-blot that politicians, educators, and judges can interpret to mean anything they wish.

"We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our constitution is made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams, to the Officers of the First Brigade, Third Division, Massachusetts Militia, October 11, 1798.

§ Syndicate

The View From 1776

Perspective on the Estate of Marriage

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 06/27 at 10:43 PM

This post make the amazing claim that human fertility rates correlate with whether the population believes in heaven!

"Without the expectation of eternal life within a faith community, mating couples do not evince interest in reproducing at replacement levels."

The world's demographers are going to be surprised hear about this! And to think that we always thought is was the underdeveloped nations that had the highest reproductive rates.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 06/28 at 06:35 PM

Mr. Jay:

Are you saying that underdeveloped nations are irreligious?

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 06/29 at 01:28 AM

Mr. Brewton,

No, I am not saying that underdeveloped nations are "irreligious" (although those who are may be so through no fault of their own, in that they may be may be far from the "civilization" that endorses a particular, approved religious point of view.)

I am saying that if you look at tabulations of human fertility by country, listed from highest fertility to lowest, the most striking correlation that jumps out at you is that the highest fertility appear to occur among the nations generally considered least developed.

In these societies, high rates of reproduction are generally ascribed to high infant mortality and the need for many children to provide agricultural labor for the family - rather than to a particular religious point of view, as suggested by Goldman.

There is also an undisputed close relationship between high birth rate and poverty. GDP per capita where the birth rate is high is tiny compared to where birth rates are low.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 06/29 at 01:30 PM